MRL Ventures Fund Investing in the Future

About Us

MRL Ventures Fund (MRLV) invests in innovative therapeutics companies that are developing transformative medicines that have the potential to meaningfully improve the lives of patients. MRLV is based in Cambridge, MA and is actively seeking investment opportunities globally.

We are:

Looking for the highest quality, differentiated science that will redefine patient care

Committed to backing imaginative scientists and proven entrepreneurs

Agnostic to therapeutic area or modality

We do not ask for any product or technology rights as a condition of investment. We do not invest in medical devices, diagnostic platforms or digital health. For digital health opportunities, please visit Global Health Innovation Fund (GHI).

BY THE NUMBERS

$250 million fund

27 financing events

>$70 million deployed

OUR SCOPE

Therapeutics

Preclinical stage

Any modality

Delivering More than Capital

Investments

Traditional seed and early-stage company investments

Therapeutics companies—from concept to IND. Seek to invest up to $15 million per company, providing long-term, and committed capital

Lead or join a syndicate of investors and play an active role on company boards

Transparent and streamlined investment process

Company Involvement

Over the life of the company, we will continue to provide capital and expertise. We protect the confidentiality of our current and future portfolio companies by providing a robust firewall from the rest of the corporation.

At a portfolio company’s choosing, MRLV can act as a conduit to the larger corporate organization to solicit advice / expertise.

Our Team

Our team is growing and has years of accumulated experience as scientists, investors, entrepreneurs, and business development & licensing leaders in both biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. This broad experience enables a rich engagement with portfolio companies and co-investors.

Reza Halse, Ph.D.President, MRLV

Christine Brennan, Ph.D.Partner, MRLV

Peter Dudek, Ph.D.Partner, MRLV

Contact MRL Ventures Fund

MRL Ventures Fund is actively developing a portfolio of early-stage therapeutic companies, which are focused on delivering innovative therapies to improve patient care.

MRL Ventures Fund
320 Bent Street
4th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02141

Peter Dudek, Ph.D.Partner, MRLV

Peter has over 10 years of experience in the life science industry extending across research, consulting, corporate venture and traditional venture capital. He is currently Partner at MRLV. He has been involved in investments across a broad range of life science companies including: Middle Peak Medical [sold to Symetis/Boston Scientific], Atopix [sold to Chiesi], Optinose [NASDAQ:OPTN], Prosonix [sold to Circassia], iOmx, Imevax, Oxagen and Vasopharm. He is currently responsible for the MRLV investment in Carisma.

Prior to MRLV, he was a Principal with Wellington Partners, a Munich and London based European venture fund with more than $1B under management. Before this he held roles at Entrepreneurs Fund and at the corporate venture arm of Novartis. He also consulted for several European venture-backed biotechnology startups. In his prior life as a scientist, Peter was a post-doc at the University of Oxford, obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Geneva and a B.Sc. (Hons) from the University of British Columbia, and conducted research at the BC Centre for Disease Control.

Reza Halse, Ph.D.President, MRLV

Reza has over 15 years experience in the life-science industry spanning research and business functions across a broad range of therapeutic areas. He currently serves as President of MRLV, and previously led business development and licensing in Europe for MRL. As a corporate venture capital investor, he has previously managed investments in a number of life science companies, including: Spero [NASDAQ:SPRO]; LTI Therapeutics; Adheron [sold to Roche 2015]; Editas [NASDAQ:EDIT]; and miRagen [NASDAQ:MGEN]. He is currently responsible for MRLV investments in Imago, Lava Therapeutics, LifeMine and Visterra.

Prior to MRLV, he was a Partner with the Partners Innovation Fund, the corporate venture capital arm of Partners HealthCare, a large academic medical center and Harvard Medical School affiliate, based in Boston, US. He has also held management roles in large Pharma and private life-science companies in both the UK and US. Reza holds a B.Sc. and Ph.D. from Newcastle University, UK.

Christine Brennan, Ph.D.Partner, MRLV

Christine has over 15 years in the life-science industry including business development, corporate strategy and venture investing. She is currently Partner at MRLV. She was previously on the board of Altimmune [NASDAQ:ALT] and an observer on the boards of a number of companies including ROX Medical, lnnocrin Pharmaceuticals, Viamet Pharmaceuticals and Quartet Medicine. She is currently responsible for MRLV investments in Translate Bio (NASDAQ:TBIO) and Alector.

Prior to MRLV, she was Principal at the Novartis Venture Fund from 2013-2017 and Chief Business Officer at Vitae Pharmaceuticals from 2010-2013. She also she held positions in business development and marketing at small and mid-size biopharmaceutical companies. Christine received her Ph.D. in neuroscience from Dartmouth Medical School and post-doctoral research in developmental neurobiology from the National Institutes of Health.